Verizon vs Cingular coverage

I need feedback about coverage quality on Verizon compared to Cingular; it's
what will make the buy decision for me clear. I don't care about cost;
coverage is my greatest concern. I travel mostly in the Midwest (Chicago
area) with trips to the East (Washington, New York). What's been your actual
experience with coverage on these two providers? Coverage maps don't give me
enough information; I'd rather hear from people who actually use the
service. Thanks for your advice!

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"Bill Reid" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>I need feedback about coverage quality on Verizon compared to Cingular;
>it's what will make the buy decision for me clear. I don't care about cost;
>coverage is my greatest concern. I travel mostly in the Midwest (Chicago
>area) with trips to the East (Washington, New York). What's been your
>actual experience with coverage on these two providers? Coverage maps don't
>give me enough information; I'd rather hear from people who actually use
>the service. Thanks for your advice!

I have never had a problem with coverage with AT&T (now Cingular) in the
parts of the country that you are talking about. I find now that the two
companies are combined, I even have better coverage than before.

I can't speak to Verizon's coverage because I have never bought (nor will I)
Verizon service. Mostly personal reasons, no actual experience.

However, no one matches the "Rollover" plans.

I had both Cingular GAIT and Verizon tri-mode phones. Pre merge both
worked anywhere in the nation. Post merger Cingular has decided to
phase out TDMA, AMPS leaving just GSM coverage.

I cancelled my last Cingular contract after twice traveling out of
states having zero coverage. When this happens Cingular has no way to
restore service until you are back in their GSM coverage area (another
state) to power cycle the phone. Customers no longer get voice mail and
you cannot forward your cell to another phone.

On the other hand a Verizon tri mode V710 still works in 22 states
including nonmetro/interstate areas.

The Verizon zip code service locator is always accurate. Check your
locations of interest to make sure they are in the enhanced service
areas. If not you may have to live with Cingular just do not assume the
phone will work outside their GSM coverage area.

Even the companies own press releases confirm Cingular has the highest
complaint and churn rate. Also Cingular is adding net customer at a
lower rate than Verizon.

Summary from recent Verizon and Cingular and other press releases:

Verizon Wireless Q12005 results: 1.64 million net customers, total 45.5

million customers, churn 1.33%, and complaints 1.4 per 100,000
customers.
(3G) EV-DO network, the largest and fastest wide-area broadband network

in the nation. This network reached 75 million Americans at year-end
(2004) and is growing steadily.
Cingular Q12005 results: : 1.4 million net, total 50.4 million
customers, churn 2.2%, 4.6 complaints
Per 100,000 customers, Cingular expects to have UMTS/HSDPA deployed in
15 to 20 markets by the end of the year. (2005).
Currently has the slowest of the data networks,
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1772832,00.asp